When it comes to influencing decisions made by parents, it’s no secret that word-of-mouth has long been the gold standard. Trusted recommendations from friends and family traditionally shaped their choices—from products and vacations to parenting and education. But the landscape has evolved.
Today, with their vast reach and credibility, social media influencers have become the new word-of-mouth and moms’ go-to source for advice and recommendations.
Moms on social fuel the success of influencers
Influencers grew their authority by becoming modern-day confidants on social media. They share their personal experiences and authentic perspectives and take the time to truly understand and engage with their followers. This approach builds trust and connects in a more meaningful way. In fact, influencers are considered four times more trustworthy than brand ads and celebrity content.
Brands aiming to connect with parents, especially moms, should look to social media platforms. Moms are heavy users of social media and view it as an extended community where they can seek advice, product recommendations, entertainment and more. The stats are significant:
- According to a 2023 study by Edison Research, 93% of U.S. moms use social media, with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok being the most popular.
- A whopping 80% of moms on social say they turn to it for product recommendations and check it nearly 15 times a day.
This research further highlights the potential influence that social media personalities and their recommendations carry over purchasing decisions in families. For brands seeking to influence parent choices and build authentic connections, influencer marketing presents an incredible opportunity.
Aligning your brand with an influencer category
When it comes to making the purchasing decisions for their families, it’s clear that women are firmly in the driver’s seat. Women determine 83% of the decisions and represent a reported $2.4 trillion in potential spending power.
So, who do moms look to when they make these decisions? Momfluencers.
Momfluencers have become their own category within influencer marketing. They are just that—moms who share insights, product reviews, personal experiences and practical advice targeted to their fellow mom-followers, making them a trusted, go-to hub of knowledge and information.
Beyond momfluencers, moms also follow influencers who specialize or are seen as trusted voices in specific categories of interest that impact the family. These categories include:
- Educational content
- Financial advice
- Health and fitness
- Home cleaning, organization and decor
- Specific hobbies and sports
Tapping into these influential voices can boost brand awareness and product sales, and can even demonstrate the value of intangibles, like programs, services, experiences, resources and outcomes.
Determining the right tier of influencer for your brand
Beyond the category, the reach and “size” of the influencer a brand partners with can significantly impact the campaign’s success. Finding the right type of influencer is a key part of the influencer strategy process. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that all influencers need to be celebrities with big price tags, but many of the most successful and effective influencers are not those well-known mega-influencers. Each tier of influencer brings unique advantages and is suited for promoting different types of products and messages.
Types of influencers:
Mega-influencers
- Characterized by massive followings of over one million; often include celebrities, renowned public figures and top-tier content creators.
- A mega-influencer’s broad appeal and significant visibility make them powerful vehicles for widespread brand awareness and major campaign launches for mass market products and services.
Macro-influencers
- Offer a slightly more niche, but still considerable, reach with follower counts ranging from 100,000 to one million.
- Well-established in specific fields such as fashion, fitness or parenting, and have cultivated highly engaged communities.
- Macro-influencers provide a balance between broad exposure and targeted engagement, making them ideal for campaigns that require both substantial reach and audience relevance.
Micro-influencers
- Follower counts ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 of niche audiences.
- Bring high engagement rates.
- A micro-influencer’s targeted reach, authentic interactions and detailed content make them effective for brands seeking to connect with specific segments within the parenting market and those promoting niche products.
Nano-influencers
- Fewer than 10,000 followers.
- Enjoy very high engagement rates due to their close-knit communities.
- Nano-influencers are seen as highly trustworthy and relatable, making them ideal for small, community and grassroots marketing efforts that require genuine, personal connections.
The three “A’s” of making influencer marketing meaningful
We call it audience alignment, and it’s a critical part of our influencer selection and evaluation process. We dive deeply into researching the influencer’s audience and ensure that they are the audience the brand is trying to reach. This also helps to ensure the content produced will resonate and establish trust. Trust drives growth and fuels the relationship with the consumer, leading to greater conversions, brand advocacy and loyalty.
In addition to audience alignment, authenticity of the influencer and their content is the name of the game. It can be a challenge to execute correctly, but it is a priority of our work. Authenticity is what creates a deep connection between influencers and parents and translates into a powerful marketing opportunity.
Ensuring influencer marketing is strategic and measurable
Influencer marketing gets a bad rap for being expensive and difficult to measure. Not all influencer programs are created from a strategic lens, and that can lead to some of those issues. Taking an integrated and data-driven approach helps ensure the work is strategic and results-focused. And by leveraging data analytics teams, you can enhance how influencer strategies are measured and refined. The benefits become tangible outcomes.
A strong influencer program should provide:
1. Targeted reach
Influencers allow brands to reach very specific and nuanced demographics effectively. For example, a momfluencer with a following of young mothers interested in natural and organic living can target that group with tailored content, ensuring that marketing efforts are reaching the right audience.
2. High engagement rates
Influencers create content that resonates deeply with their audience, leading to higher engagement rates compared to brand-generated content. This increased engagement boosts your brand visibility and awareness.
3. Cost-effectiveness
Influencer marketing can be more affordable than traditional advertising methods. Collaborating with micro-influencers and nano-influencers, who have smaller but highly engaged audiences, can provide significant value at a lower cost than macro-influencers or celebrity endorsements
Influencer marketing is within your brand’s reach
Influencer marketing can drive tangible outcomes at every phase of the marketing funnel. It is most impactful when it is part of an integrated program strategy that helps to humanize your brand and compel audiences to action.
By laying a strategic foundation to the program, you can build authentic relationships with the right influencer’s audience without breaking your budget. Our recommendations are carefully researched and vetted so that they make sense for the budget and the brand. And just like any other program or campaign, you can track the effectiveness of your influencer program using analytics tools to ensure your brand is receiving ROI.
For marketers targeting parents and families, influencers hold a strong opportunity that shouldn’t be considered out of reach. Influencers of all types are on social media shaping perceptions, driving decisions and building lasting relationships with this important audience. By leveraging that trust and engagement, your brand can transform its connection to parents and drive powerful growth.
